Explore Horror by DNA

Every film on Horrorsight has a Horror DNA profile. It captures what kind of horror it is, what makes it scary, and how intensely it expresses key qualities — so you can find exactly what you are in the mood for.

What kind of horror is it?

The eight broad families of horror. Most films belong to one or two.

Supernatural

Ghosts, hauntings, possession, demons, and the afterlife

Fear flavours

Human Threat

Slashers, serial killers, home invasion, and human antagonists

Fear flavours

Body / Creature

Body horror, monsters, aliens, infection, and physical transformation

Fear flavours

Psychological

Paranoia, identity breakdown, gaslighting, and unreliable reality

Subgenres

ParanoiaIdentity breakdownGrief horrorGaslighting

Fear flavours

ParanoiaUneaseCreeping domestic dread

Folk / Ritual

Folk horror, cults, pagan ritual, and rural dread

Subgenres

Weird / Experimental

Surreal, cosmic, dreamlike, and experimental horror

Subgenres

SurrealDreamlikeCosmicExperimental

Fun / Popcorn

Horror comedy, camp, gateway horror, and crowd-pleasers

Subgenres

Horror comedyCampGateway horror

Fear flavours

Extreme

Splatter, torture, exploitation, and endurance horror

Subgenres

Fear flavours

What makes it scary?

The emotional texture of the horror — what the film actually makes you feel.

DreadParanoiaDisgustGriefUneasePanicMysteryBleaknessFun chaosUncanny wrongnessCosmic insignificanceClaustrophobiaRitual menaceCreeping domestic dreadIsolationCursed mediaBody violationSocial collapse

How strongly does it express key qualities?

Seven dimensions capture how much a film leans into specific horror qualities, each on a 0–10 scale.

IntensityOverall heaviness and fear pressure
DreadSustained atmospheric tension
GoreBlood, viscera, and graphic violence
WeirdnessSurreal, strange, or experimental feeling
BleaknessHopelessness or emotional darkness
Fun / campHumour, camp, or self-aware energy
PsychologicalMental, emotional, or perception-based horror

Other ideas like body horror, supernatural, and jump scares are better captured as subgenres, fear flavours, or content signals rather than standalone dimensions.

How intense is it?

From cozy spooky to ruin-your-night.

Cozy / spooky
02
24
Standard
46
Heavy
68

About content signals

Content signals are based on available structured metadata and are not a complete content-warning system. We use confidence-aware language like "signals" rather than absolute claims. A missing signal does not mean a film is safe for all audiences.

Where you will see Horror DNA

  • Film detail pages show a full Horror DNA profile
  • Compare shows shared DNA and biggest differences between two films
  • Cards across the site show a compact DNA summary on hover

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